Question about length of rail platform.

[General Tso]

If what I have read is correct. Then each section of rail platform is 40 meters long and adds 40 cargo or passenger spaces to the station storage area.

So my question is: Does the platform length have ANY affect on trains that load or unload on that platform? Does the platform have to be at least as long as the train? Can a very long train load and unload on a single 40 meter section of platform without any penalty? Does platform length affect load/unload time? Does it affect anything else?

[><Ce|\|T><]

no the platform doesn't need to be as long as the train, doesn't affect load/unload time, ... . If you have a 200m train entering a 160m station, it will unload as well.
If you unload for another train platform of the same length and that you have more than the platform can receive, it will raise a flag to say that you exceed the limit. Some of the shipments may disappear but if your transport system is good, you'll pick up the goods before they're all gone :D

[General Tso]

Cool. Thank you for the detailed answer.

Your answer just made me think of another question. Is the "storage area" for cargo platform specific or station specific?

If a have a large station with a lot of platforms and a large over all storage area. And I have a train that stops at the station but it's platform is very short. Say 40 meters for example. What determines when the cargo for that train starts leaking away from the station? Does it leak away slowly because of the station's large storage area? Or does it leak away fast because of the small platform for this given train.

[Magnetic Reaper]

I'm wondering if platforms on both side of the same rail can be used. What about if it's doubled up? I guess that sums up to bring track specific or station specific

[lozacenz]

Originally posted by General Tso:

Cool. Thank you for the detailed answer.

Your answer just made me think of another question. Is the "storage area" for cargo platform specific or station specific?

If a have a large station with a lot of platforms and a large over all storage area. And I have a train that stops at the station but it's platform is very short. Say 40 meters for example. What determines when the cargo for that train starts leaking away from the station? Does it leak away slowly because of the station's large storage area? Or does it leak away fast because of the small platform for this given train.

It's platform specific.
Actually, it's Terminal specific (I'm not sure if it will use both sides of a platform if there's only a terminal on one side (i'm getting it a bit muddled with the trucks as to whether it's a thing or not, I think), but if both sides have terminals, each is a separate 'platform' for storage.)

[General Tso]

Thanks. So the storage seems to be per track?

So for example, if you have a 200 meter cargo platform with tracks on both sides. Does each track get 200 storage? Or 100 storage? Or something else? Does it change depending on actual cargo use?

Conversely. If you have one track between two cargo platforms. One platform is 40 meters and sends fuel and the other is 200 meters and sends stone. Would it be safe to assume that there is 40 storage for fuel and 200 storage for stone?

Sorry for all of the questions but there are probably people who have already tested this stuff. So I figure they can save the rest of us some time.

[Vimpster]

Each platform, both passenger and cargo have two sides. A line can only be assigned to one of the sides, and of course it has to have a rail along side the platform side you wish to use. Both sides of a 40 meter platform have the 40 capacity independent of each other.

Also a single rail can have a platform on both sides of it. However a line can only be assigned to the one platform or the other. You could have two lines using the same track with one line using the platform on the one side and one line using the platform on the other side.

[General Tso]

Thank you. I think I now know enough to build my stations intelligently. I hope. :)

[canophone]

Originally posted by Magnetic Reaper:

I'm wondering if platforms on both side of the same rail can be used. What about if it's doubled up? I guess that sums up to bring track specific or station specific

No, at least, not yet. The line path only lets you select one platform for a stop currently.

[canophone]

Originally posted by General Tso:

Thanks. So the storage seems to be per track?

Per platform. In TpF1, the terminal was decided based on the track (platform was random in such cases), but TpF2, the terminal is decided based on the platform, of which only one can be selected even when there are platforms on both sides.

[General Tso]

That makes sense. Thanks.

[><Ce|\|T><]

Originally posted by General Tso:

Cool. Thank you for the detailed answer.

Your answer just made me think of another question. Is the "storage area" for cargo platform specific or station specific?

If a have a large station with a lot of platforms and a large over all storage area. And I have a train that stops at the station but it's platform is very short. Say 40 meters for example. What determines when the cargo for that train starts leaking away from the station? Does it leak away slowly because of the station's large storage area? Or does it leak away fast because of the small platform for this given train.

The leaks begin at the platform where the goods will wait for pick up. No matters where you unload them. So if you unload on a 40 items 40 m track but that the goods are waiting for pick up in a 80 items truck station then it's the truck station platform that matters. Unload just act as a pipeline in this instance

[Voice From Beyond]

The thing to keep in mind is what happens when a train reverses. If you have a train longer than the station, when the train reverses, the engine will be outside of the station on the track. This is problematic with switches. Your train many not be able to switch to the correct track.

Also a "terminus" station has a "train stopper" at the end of the line. This makes the station half a meter shorter, so a 320 meter terminus station is only 319 meters long and can cause switching problems too.

[Vimpster]

Originally posted by Voice From Beyond:

The thing to keep in mind is what happens when a train reverses. If you have a train longer than the station, when the train reverses, the engine will be outside of the station on the track. This is problematic with switches. Your train many not be able to switch to the correct track.

Also a "terminus" station has a "train stopper" at the end of the line. This makes the station half a meter shorter, so a 320 meter terminus station is only 319 meters long and can cause switching problems too.

This is why I never build switches right up to the station. I always leave a considerable gap since I don't know just how long I may end up making my trains. And especially when the station is only being used to unload, I generally use the shortest station available in that case to save on construction and station maintenance costs even though the train may be very long.